The Brightest Lights
by narutohyuga99
Summary: Meet Luke, a 17 year old who was just unlucky enough to be a Red. His whole life is gonna be change when he meets a girl running from the Children's League and a trio of misfits.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: If your even reading this story thank you but just some info I read the books a while ago so everything isn't going to be completely based off the books I will change parts of the story.**_

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_It's 5 years ago on my 12th birthday. I look around and the places my friends normally would sit wishing they were still in my school. My mom and Dad come in carrying my birthday cake for me. Behind them I see a glimmer of movement behind them. As they set down the cake and begin singing I see tears in their eyes. I blow out the candles and suddenly am grabbed by a man dressed in all black. I begin to panic and feel something hot bubbling in my stomach as I start flailing. My whole skin begins to glow red and become unbearably hot. The man pulls out a needle and jams it into my neck. The last thing I see is my mom crying as my dad holds her._

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**Present day**

I sit up suddenly panicking looking around. I realize I'm in an old beat up car. I begin to calm as I see my stuff sitting on the floor. "Damn it I need to stop thinking about that day," I say as I reach into my bag and pull out a pack of old mints. I pop one into my mouth before climbing into the driver seat and starting the engine. I quickly open the visor and look in the mirror. I see my long brown hair framing my face. I also see my well tanned skin and slightly pink eyes. I pull out of the abandoned parking lot I slept in and onto the street. I feel my leg begin shaking as I enter the road way. "Fuck it," I say pulling into an abandoned gas station. I see two cars there with two adults standing outside. I stop the car and watch carefully trying to determine if they're hunters or not. Suddenly, a girl and a boy in camp uniforms get out the car and go into the station. I roll down the window to hear what the adults are saying.

"We need to take these two back to the League as fast as possible Cate you don't need to be nice to them," the man says leaning against a gas pump. Worried for the kids I grab my bag and leave my car. Just to be careful, I head around the back of the building and see a van sitting there. Making a choice, I decide to go through a back window first. I begin twitch as I hear the sound of someone running. Whipping around, I see the girl from earlier running from the gas station.

"She's gonna get herself killed," I murmur as I start sprinting after her. She runs over to the car and is pleading for someone inside to let her in. I hear the man and woman from earlier calling out a name. Assuming it's the girls I run even faster trying to get there first. Suddenly the sliding door of the van opens and the girl scrambles in. I look for somewhere for me to hide. Not seeing anywhere I dive as the door begins to shut and land at the feet of a little girl. "Shhh," I order as I close the curtains over the window and cover the girls in a blanket. I sit in the backseat and pull out a book from my bag ready in case there's a knock on the door. Eventually I hear them walk away and take the blanket off of them.

"Who are you?" the girl who was running asks as she grabs her bag.

"I'm Luke. But the question is who the hell are you and what did those people want with you," I question back as I feel another spasm happening in my leg.

"I'm Ruby and they helped free me from one of the camps," she says as two boys open the door to the van.

"What the hell Zu we said no more strays," a skinny black guy with glasses so old he's squinting to see with them on. The girl who let us in grabs a notebook and begins she's done she shows them but not before I start talking.

"Sorry we weren't trying to take anything we were running from some people with the Children's League. We'll go right now if you want," I say calmly.

"She can stay but you look like your at least 20 there's no way you won't rat us out," the blonde boy says

"I'm 17 I was in a camp for 3 years before I busted out and I've been out here for 2 years. I know I look old it's how I've lived out here," I explain. "But I'll still go I can figure out what I'm going to do next I guess," I say and begin to walk out.

"Wait if your really my age what color are you?" The blonde one asks.

"I'm green," I lie knowing there's no way to tell someone's actual color.

"Ok well I guess you can stay. I'm Liam and this is Chubbs and Zu," he says motioning to the other two.

"What Liam there's no way we're gonna have enough food for everyone," Chubbs complains. Liam just shrugs and climbs into the drivers seat as Zu gets comfortable. I laugh and sit on the floor between the two back seats. Ruby climbs in next to me and Chubbs gets in the front seat. I start digging into my bag trying to find something to eat. I grab a bag of stale chips and begin munching on them.

"Woah you gonna share that?" Ruby asks as her stomach grumbles. I hold out the bag and she grabs a handful. Soon all of us are crunching on the snacks listening to the bumping of the road.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ruby wake up," I say nudging her gently. Her eyes shoot awake at my touch and she bolts up. "Look I need to talk to you alone," I say as I lead her outside of the van. When I step outside I feel the cool night air hit my face.

"What's up?" She asks as we close the door.

"Look I need you to swear not to tell Liam and the others what I'm gonna tell you. I'm only telling you this because I'm pretty sure you did the same thing but, I'm not actually a Green," I say quickly. She just nods. "I'm actually a Red and I need someone's help covering up my tic or they might notice and ditch me," I explain.

"So why me? I just got here too. You don't think if they find out they won't leave me there?" She asks slightly annoyed. I'm shocked into silence before she sighs and nods. "Ok I'll help you but no craziness," she says obviously not knowing what I can do. I open the door and we climb back into the van.

I wake Liam up to take my turn to drive before cruising off into the night. We drive for a few hours until we get to an abandoned hotel. "Hey guys wake up we got actual beds," I say causing everyone to wake up. We quickly pack our meager belongings and head into a couple rooms. We all take our turns in the shower before we get ready to sleep.

"We shouldn't go to sleep yet we should do something." I say. "What about truth or dare?" I suggest only remembering what was fun before I was put into a camp. They laugh before agreeing to play.

"All right then Luke, Truth or Dare?" Liam asks me.

"Hmm gimme a truth," I answer

"How long did it take for the people in your camp to plan the escape?"

"It took us maybe a year to make sure everything was in place. A lot of the plan was riding on if the Greens could disable the White Noise." I explain.

"Chubbs, Truth or Dare," I ask.

"I should probably go with Truth,"

"Do your glasses even help anymore," I ask laughing. He shakes his head before asking Liam the question.

"Dare," he says

"Dare you to go streaking to the van and back," Chubbs says.

"Hell no there's girls here," he says blushing slightly.

"Ruby truth or dare?" there's a slight pause before she picks dare.

"Um I dare you to... tell us why you were with the League," he says. She stammers immediately before I stop him.

"Come on stop it they helped her out of that's camp, she spent years there and just got out give her a break," I say lightly shoving him. He gets up and shoved me back. I begin to get angry and feel my hand start to twitch. Ruby scoots closer to me and grabs my hand quickly. Liam backs off and lays down on the floor with a pillow and a blanket.

"You and Zu take the bed, we'll sleep on the floor," I tell Ruby before mouthing thank you and laying down as well. Laying there I play through all the scenarios of what could've happened right there. What if I had lost control and burned them all? What if I'd just sucker punched him? What if I hadn't pushed him at all? I lay there thinking about what could've happened.

"Your welcome," Ruby says as she walks past and tousles my hair before climbing into bed with Zu.

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**_The Next Morning_**

"Wake up," Liam says throwing a pillow at me. I sit up my hands burning hot before I remember where I am.

"Gimme a sec," I groan as I grab my bag and pop a mint into my mouth. I follow him into the van where the others are waiting.

"So where are we going?" I ask climbing into the back yet again.

"To find the Slip Kid," Liam says at the same time that Chubbs says, "To take Ruby home,"

They begin arguing and I just turn up the radio. "Guys, stop at least not in front of Zu," I say angrily. I take a deep breath and grab a small sheet of metal from my bag. I look at my reflection for a while before noticing my hair.

"You just admiring yourself or do you want a hair cut?" Ruby asks as she grabs and lightly tugs a strand of my hair. I nod and grab a knife put of my bag before awkwardly try to cut my hair. "Oh gimme that," she says snatching the knife and cutting my hair for me.

"Thank you," I mutter and try to sit still. Every once in a while, my leg begins to twitch but I simply shift so I sit on top of it. It feels like it takes hours to cut but it most likely only takes a few minutes.

"Ok I think I'm finally done," she says putting the knife down. I pick my makeshift mirror back up and examine my hair. It's been cut to just pay my earlobes. I grab my bag and begin looking for a rubberband. I use it to put my hair into a short ponytail.

"Thanks, I haven't had a haircut in a while," I say. She just laughs before going back to sit down. "So where are we going now?" I ask again.

"To take Ruby home," Chubbs says and this time Liam doesn't argue with him. I shrug and pull my book out once again.


	3. IM BACK

Obviously but for ya'll who couldn't tel... I'M BACK BITCHES. I feel really into it but I'm still busy so expect a chapter for at least one of my stories every 2-3 weeks. School is still kicking my ass but I wanna write so fuck it


	4. Online School Sucks

Ok I know I said that I'd be putting out a chapter every couple of weeks but my school closed down. You'd think that would make it easier but now I have my parents over my shoulder all the time and online classes so it feels like I get less time to myself to just write so things might slow down again but imma keep working on new chapters to keep you guys entertained. Anyway that's about all so thanks for reading and love you guys. Don't forget to check out my new story.


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